Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Art Works: Security

Lord Lexden: To ask His Majesty's Government whetherthey have issued guidance to public institutions and universities concerning security arrangements for the protection of historic portraits of past statesmen.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The vandalism against the portrait of A.J. Balfour at Trinity College, Cambridge, last month is rightly being investigated as a criminal act by Cambridgeshire Police. The shoddy sense of history by those who perpetrated and promoted it is also a reminder of the importance of historic portraits in improving our awareness and understanding of the past.The famous declaration made by Balfour as Foreign Secretary in November 1917 made clear that ‘nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country’. At the time Balfour issued it, the man who had painted his portrait three years earlier, Philip de László, was (despite having become a British citizen, with the former Prime Minister as one of his sponsors) interned, having been arrested on suspicion of treason on account of letters he had written to family members in Austria. As the historian Giles MacDonogh has noted, it appears ‘the fact that de László was born of Jewish parents had some bearing on the case’; his interrogation by Special Branch dwelt on his Jewish ancestry, and an unsympathetic biography included in the recommendation from MI5 to the Home Secretary that he be interned noted that de László was the ‘son of a Jew tailor’. In May 1919, his case was raised in a debate in Your Lordships’ House; the following month, it was brought before the Certificates of Naturalisation (Revocation) Committee, which took just fifteen minutes to throw it out and exonerate him.It is thanks to portraits like this that such fascinating insights into our past can be gleaned.I have spoken to the Vice-Master of Trinity College following the attack, and hope that this magnificent portrait can be swiftly repaired and shared with students and visitors to the college for many years to come.

Department of Health and Social Care

Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Vaccination

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government how they plan to assess the wider productivity and economic benefits of any new immunisation programmes for infant respiratory syncytial virus.

Lord Markham: The independent Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advises the Department on the approach to vaccination and immunisation. The JCVI’s evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) programme was based on the health benefits of an infant RSV programme, and the potential healthcare cost savings from preventing cases and hospitalisations.The Department did not ask the JCVI to complete an assessment of the wider productivity and economic benefits when determining the cost-effectiveness of a vaccination programme, and the Department did not assess this separately for RSV.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Vaccination

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government how they plan to assess the impact of new immunisation programmes for infant respiratory syncytial virus on (1) hospitalisations, and (2) health inequality.

Lord Markham: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) monitors national immunisation programmes in England. The UKHSA’s Severe Acute Respiratory Infection Watch surveillance system collects weekly information on admissions to hospital with Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), to monitor admission rates in each RSV season. If a programme is introduced, monitoring of its effectiveness would include thorough analysis of immunisation records, both infant or maternal, and laboratory results for patients needing healthcare for RSV-like illness. The UKHSA can also monitor RSV admissions by deprivation and ethnicity, using routine National Health Service records, when these become available following the RSV season. The UKHSA will also monitor inequalities in uptake of the RSV immunisation programmes, through its routine uptake data collections.

NHS: Databases

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government further to the Written Answers byLord Markham on 27 February 2023 (HL5458) and 14 March 2023 (HL5916), whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the YAML, R and Python code exportable from NHS England's Federated Data Platform for (1) the Ambulance Dataset Dashboard, and (2) the COVID Monitoring Reporting and Publication Dashboard.

Lord Markham: NHS England will from time to time publish examples of code and specifications that are deemed useful to the wider community and industry, including where appropriate, the sharing of code within the NHS GitHub. To ensure that NHS England is creating a vibrant marketplace for both end users and for industry, it aims to publish the Canonical Data Model structures as well as the metadata, in line with the Tech Code of Practice. The Federated Data Platform (FDP) Programme is developing a sustainable way to publish examples of specifications and code for specific FDP products. The programme is working through a set of core principles to help determine how they will publish analysis code publicly. This includes making sure that there is appropriate explanatory information surrounding the code, that will help to provide additional context for those viewing the information.

Physician Associates

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 25 March (HL2978),why they have specifiedhow physician associates (PAs) are to be used, specifically with undifferentiated patients, rather than allowing GP practices to make their own decisions about the use of PAs.

Lord Markham: Physician Associates (PAs) work within a defined scope of practice and limits of competence. NHS England has provided recent guidance on the use of PAs in general practice (GP) teams. As set out in the Network Contract Directed Enhanced Service, PAs should be adequately supervised by a GP when providing care for undifferentiated patients.In terms of employment choices, GPs are self-employed contractors to the National Health Service, and it is largely up to employers to determine how best to staff their primary care network or GP, to best meet the needs of their population.

Cancer: Medical Treatments

Lord Wills: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, in each of the past five years, of the economic costs of the effects of post-operative cancer treatments.

Lord Markham: The Department is working jointly with NHS England and Cancer Alliances to ensure every person receives personalised care and support from cancer diagnosis onwards, including post-treatment. As outlined in the NHS Long Term Plan for cancer, where appropriate, every person diagnosed with cancer will have access to personalised care, including needs assessment, a care plan and health and wellbeing information and support. After treatment, the person will move to a follow-up pathway that suits their needs, and ensures they can get rapid access to clinical support, where they are worried that their cancer may have recurred.Post-operative cancer treatments encompass a wide variety of care, depending on the type and stage of cancer, the treatment the patient has had, and the patient’s needs. Follow-up care often includes regular check-ups, blood tests, scans, and procedures. It may also involve further treatments to deal with late and long-term side effects, including chemotherapy or radiotherapy to reduce the risk of cancer coming back. These highly individualised treatments have varying economic costs.

Vaccination

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to adopt a new immunisation programme and ensure that there is high uptake of this programme.

Lord Markham: The Department is advised by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI considers the disease’s burden on society, vaccine safety and efficacy, and the impact and cost effectiveness of immunisation strategies, before making a recommendation as to whether a new immunisation programme should be developed. This advice is then considered by the Department and, subject to that consideration, the Department works with partners, including the National Health Service and the UK Health Security Agency, to ensure the effective implementation of this advice. This includes work to ensure vaccine uptake of any implemented programmes is high. Numerous methods are used to ensure high uptake, including targeted communications, ensuring vaccine accessibility and availability.

Health Services: Data Protection

Baroness Manzoor: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that patient records and personal data are only accessible to those who need to view them, and to ensure connections between software systems in health facilities include suitable control measures for this risk.

Lord Markham: National IT systems must ensure that users can be identified correctly, and are given appropriate access. This is achieved using identity verification capabilities, including creating a national digital identity for each authorised user. Each local National Health Service organisation which requires access to the national IT systems is required to set up its own local Registration Authority (RA) which consists of people and processes who are trained to create identities and grant access for their staff to the national IT systems. NHS England has published the RA Policy requirements with which every local NHS organisation that has an RA must comply. This reflects current best practice for identity and access management as informed by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) guidance. The RA Policy also allows non-NHS health and care organisations providing direct care to run their own RA service. RA hosting is subject to meeting requirements and assessment criteria, which are soon to be published. The RA process includes the use of RA codes, assigned to professional users’ smartcards to give them access to the correct information within national IT systems. The RA codes which are assigned for a specific user will allow that user to create and process referrals appropriately depending on their job role. Local organisations which have an RA function are required to have an RA audit policy and conduct annual audits on NHS Smartcard usage as part of their RA governance. RA Managers (those responsible for administering the RA function within an organisation) must implement a process to run the RA reports on a regular basis.

Plastic Surgery: Public Consultation

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to publish feedback to theLicensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures consultation, which ran from 2 September to 28 October 2023.

Lord Markham: We are currently analysing the feedback received during the consultation, and intend to publish the Government’s response later in the spring.

Medicine: Apprentices

Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government, furtherto the Written Answer byLord Markham on 16 February (HL2398), whether they have increased the maximum funding for medical degree apprentices from £50,000 to £150,000 over the term of the course.

Lord Markham: The funding of £150,000 to be provided by NHS England per medical degree apprentice is an increase of the funding of £50,000 for medical degree apprentices announced by Health Education England in January 2023.

DNACPR Decisions

Baroness Browning: To ask His Majesty's Government how many 'do not resuscitate' forms have been signed in each of the past five years.

Lord Markham: The Department does not hold this data.

DNACPR Decisions

Baroness Browning: To ask His Majesty's Government what criteria apply to NHS hospitals when requesting patients to sign a 'do not resuscitate' form.

Lord Markham: There are no set criteria applied to National Health Service hospitals when requesting patients sign do not resuscitate forms. Doctors are required to make do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DNACPR) decisions based on the individual circumstances of a patient, and with the involvement of the person concerned or, where the person lacks capacity, their family, or any other legally recognised advocate.Patient facing guidance setting out how DNACPR decisions should be made, and how individuals or their families can get support about a DNACPR, is provided on the NHS website, in an online only format.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Vaccination

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government what information they have oncountries currently implementing immunisation programmes for infant respiratory syncytial virus with regard to (1) acceptance and uptake, and (2) hospitalisations.

Lord Markham: In the United States, as of 31 January 2024, maternal immunisation was 17.9%. By February 2024, 43% of infants under eight months old had received a dose of nirsevimab.In Galicia, Spain, 92.9% of 5,357 infants born from 25 September 2023 to 4 February 2024 had nirsevimab, as well as 79.7% of 5,823 infants included in a catch-up programme. The peak of the hospitalisation rate in infants under six months old was 102 per 100,000 in 2023/24, during the week starting 27 November 2023. This is compared to a median of 776 for 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20, peaking during the first week of the January.In Luxembourg, 84% of 1524 infants born in hospital between early October and mid-December 2023 received nirsevimab. Luxembourg observed a decrease in hospitalisation in infants under six months old of 69%, between the 2022/23 and 2023/24 respiratory syncytial virus seasons.

Department for Business and Trade

Motor Vehicles: Exports

Lord Walney: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the causes of the reported 2,000 per cent increase in UK car exports to Azerbaijan since they imposed sanctions prohibiting such car sales on Russia; and what steps they will take if it is found that the 2,000 per cent increase ispartly caused by attempts to evade sanctions imposed on Russia.

Lord Johnson of Lainston: The Department for Business and Trade has spoken with industry stakeholders, who have confirmed the sector's commitment to compliance with all trade and economic sanctions, including those on Russia. There are currently no sanctions on UK luxury car exports for use in Azerbaijan. HMRC investigates credible allegations of trade sanctions offences and has a range of options for tackling breaches, including referral for criminal prosecution.We continue to work to prevent Russia's efforts to circumvent sanctions and recently announced the creation of the Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation to improve the implementation and enforcement of trade sanctions, complementing HMRC's existing powers.

Parental Leave: Fathers

The Lord Bishop of Leicester: To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of new fathers have taken (1) their full statutory paternity leave entitlement, and (2) shared parental leave, in each year since 2017.

Lord Johnson of Lainston: Data on the proportion of fathers taking Paternity and Shared Parental Leave is not available for each year since 2017. The 2019 Parental Rights Survey shows that, of all employee fathers who took any type of leave following the birth of their child, 74 per cent took Paternity Leave and 7 per cent took Shared Parental Leave. The same survey finds that 76 per cent of all fathers that took Paternity Leave took up their full Paternity Leave entitlement.

Horizon IT System: Northern Ireland

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to expand the applicability of the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Bill to cover postmasters and postmistresses in Northern Ireland.

Lord Offord of Garvel: The UK Government has worked at pace to deliver legislation to tackle the injustice faced by wrongfully convicted postmasters. The Government carefully considers the territorial extent of each piece of legislation and remains committed to supporting devolved administrations. Devolved administrations with powers to legislate in these areas should be expected to use them, as the UK Government has done in England and Wales.The UK Government stand ready to support the Northern Ireland Executive to enable them to progress their own approaches to overturning convictions in Northern Ireland.

Companies: Insolvency

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofreports that the number of company insolvencies last month were 17 per cent higher than one year earlier; and what steps they are taking to support struggling businesses.

Lord Offord of Garvel: Company insolvencies in 2023 were 14% higher than in 2022. However, the liquidation rate of 53.7 insolvencies per 10,000 active companies was lower than the recessionary peak of 94.7 per 10,000 in 2009. The average number of quarterly company insolvencies in the past 3 years (2021-2023) was 5,112. This is 28% higher than 2017 to 2019, when the quarterly average was 3,982.The Government continues to support businesses, through Help to Grow: Management, Business Support Helpline, and Growth Hubs. Businesses can also access government-backed financial support from the British Business Bank. Additionally, the Help to Grow campaign and website has been refreshed, creating a one-stop shop for SMEs to find the information they need to grow and scale up.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Housing: Sales

Lord Truscott: To ask His Majesty's Government what analysis they have conducted, if any, of the reasons behind rising numbers of landlords selling their properties.

Baroness Swinburne: The most recent English Private Landlord Survey from 2021 found that almost half of landlords (48%) planned to keep the number of rental properties the same. The English Private Landlord Survey does not include prospective landlords who may be considering entering the market. The most frequently reported reasons for planning to decrease or sell their properties are set out in detailed analysis (attached) in the English Private Landlord Survey  report. The next publication is expected later in 2024.  The most recent English Housing Survey from 2022-23 found that the proportion of households in the private rented sector has doubled since the early 2000s and remained a similar proportion (19%) since 2013-14. For more detailed analysis, please see (attached) the full English Housing Survey report. English Private Landlord Survey (pdf, 99.3KB)English Housing (pdf, 111.5KB)

Rented Housing

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofregional disparities in rental prices across the UK; and what steps they are taking to address affordability challenges for tenants.

Baroness Swinburne: The ONS publishes a number of regional datasets regarding the cost of private rented sector lettings, such as the monthly (attached) Price Index of Private Rents and an annual (attached) Housing affordability report, and DLUHC publishes its own annual (attached) English Housing Survey. Individuals who need help to make their rent payments may be eligible for a range of support through the welfare system. From April 2024, the Government will raise Local Housing Allowance rates to the 30th percentile of local market rents. This significant investment of £1.2 billion means 1.6 million low-income households will gain, on average, nearly £800 per year in additional help towards their rental costs in 2024/25. For those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs and need more support, Discretionary Housing Payments and Household Support Fund grants are also available from local authorities.Price Index of Private Rents (pdf, 50.0KB)Housing affordability (pdf, 2158.4KB)English Housing Survey (pdf, 111.5KB)

Cabinet Office

Crafts and Industrial Products: Northern Ireland

Baroness Hoey: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the new EU law on protection of geographical indications for craft and industrial products will be introduced in Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework via Article 13(4)(a),followingthe applicability motion on 19 March which did not gain cross-community consent.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: It is welcome that the restoration of the devolved institutions allows for the exercise of the democratic scrutiny mechanisms that have been put in place. Following the applicability motion on 19 March, the duties under Schedule 6B of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 apply. The Government will determine and set out its approach to Parliament in the usual way, respecting the statutory framework in full.

Employment: Equality

Lord Jackson of Peterborough: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to respond to the findings of the Inclusion at Work Panel report, published by the Cabinet Office, especially as it relates to diversity and inclusion interventions in Government departments.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Following the publication of this report on 20th March, the Civil Service will consider the recommendations as part of our strategic focus as outlined in the Civil Service Diversity & Inclusion Strategy, Civil Service People Plan and commitments to Government Reform. The Civil Service Diversity & Inclusion Strategy, published in February 2022, places a focus on being data-driven, evidence-led and delivery focussed emphasising the need to take an evaluative approach.

Lord-Lieutenants: Middlesex

Lord Randall of Uxbridge: To ask His Majesty's Government what representations Ministers have received on the potential for appointinga deputy lieutenant for the county of Middlesex.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: There is no Lieutenancy for the county of Middlesex and therefore no potential to appoint a Deputy Lieutenant of Middlesex.

Women and Equalities

Equality: Training

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent research reported by The Times which suggests that unconscious bias training is not effective.

Baroness Barran: This research is a welcome addition to the canon of research on the efficacy of diversity and inclusion (D&I) training.We removed central unconscious bias training following the 2020 Behavioural Insight Team report which concluded that unconscious bias training was ineffective. This is supported by the recent report on the Inclusion at Work Panel’s recommendations for improving D&I practice in the workplace (published 20 March 2024). We are currently considering these recommendations, including the recommendation to develop a digital tool kit to assess the rigour, efficacy and value for money of a range of D&I practices, including training interventions.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Recycling: Reform

Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of recycling reforms on local authority finances.

Lord Douglas-Miller: We published an impact assessment alongside the 2021 consultation on Consistency in recycling England, which can be found attached to this answer. The final impact assessment is due to be published in line with the laying of the secondary legislation for Simpler Recycling.HL3238 attachment  (pdf, 814.5KB)

Bridleways and Public Footpaths: Motor Vehicles

Lord Birt: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the scale of damage to public footpaths and bridleways caused by four-wheel drive vehicles and scrambler bikes.

Lord Benyon: The recreational use of motor vehicles on footpaths, bridleways and restricted byways is not permitted, therefore no such assessment has been undertaken. Any damage caused by illegal activity is a matter for the appropriate authorities. The Government is aware of damage and disturbance caused by excessive use of off-road motor vehicles on highways where such activities are legal, such as byways open to all traffic and on other unsealed roads which carry motor vehicle rights, often referred to as ‘green lanes’. This issue was included in the consultation on the recent Landscapes Review. The results of the consultation concluded that the current Traffic Regulation Order process is legally robust enough to protect green lanes with targeted local action in sensitive areas, while allowing vehicle users to responsibly enjoy the countryside.

Home Office

Organised Crime: Rural Areas

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the National Rural Crime Network's reportRural Crime: Serious, Organised and International, published on 10 March.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: We welcome the National Rural Crime Network’s report and will consider its recommendations.This Government is committed to tackling the threat from Serious and Organised Crime (SOC). In December 2023, we published the 2023 Serious and Organised Crime Strategy that commits to reducing SOC in the UK by disrupting and dismantling organised crime groups and networks operating in and against the UK.Serious and organised crime is a major threat to the national security and prosperity of the UK. It costs lives, blights communities, hampers economic growth, and corrodes the global reputation of the UK and its institutions.Additionally, the Government recognises that there can be particular challenges in responding to rural crime and welcomed the rural and wildlife crime strategy published by the National Police Chiefs’ Council in September 2022.The Home Office provided £200,000 for the National Rural Crime Unit to tackle rural crime including the theft of farming or construction machinery, livestock theft, rural fly tipping, rural fuel theft and equine crime. We will continue to work closely with the NRCU to help ensure an effective police response to rural crime.

Organised Crime: Cross Border Cooperation

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to address the problem of criminal gangs intentionally crossing police force borders to exploit weaknesses in policing methods.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: We know serious and organised crime (SOC) does not respect police force borders which is why all police forces in England and Wales collaborate and share resources, funding and specialist capabilities to deliver Regional Organised Crime Units (ROCUs) to lead complex cross-border SOC investigations. There are nine ROCUs in England and Wales with equivalent capability in London.Alongside approximately £70m in direct funding from the Home Office in 2023/24, Chief Constables, PCCs and Mayors with PCC functions have recently provided significant resource to the ROCU network by allocating 725 extra officers to ROCUs between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2023. Those officers are working in partnership now to tackle drugs supply and enablers, including firearms and criminal finances.County lines is a major cross-cutting issue involving a range of criminality including drugs, violence, criminal gangs and child criminal exploitation, and involves the police, a wide range of Government departments, local government agencies and voluntary and community sector organisations. County lines gangs often export drugs across county borders from one police force area to another.This Government is determined to crack down on county lines gangs which is why we are investing up to £145m over three years in our County Lines Programme to tackle the most violent and exploitative drug supply model yet seen. Through the County Lines Programme, we have established dedicated county lines taskforces in the four force areas exporting the majority of lines (MPS, Merseyside, West Midlands and Greater Manchester Police) as well as the British Transport Police to tackle the national rail network. We are also funding the National County Lines Coordination Centre (NCLCC), to monitor the intelligence picture and co-ordinate the national law enforcement response. The NCLCC has been vital in strengthening the law enforcement response, promoting best practice, and enabling police forces to work together to tackle this complex issue.Since the County Lines Programme was launched in 2019, police activity has resulted in over 5,600 line closures, over 16,500 arrests and over 8,800 safeguarding referrals. This includes over 2,500 line closures since April 2022, surpassing the Drugs Strategy commitment of over 2,000 line closures by April 2025. Having met this target in half the time, we have now committed to close a further 1,000 lines by August 2024, bringing the total since the Drugs Strategy was launched in April 2022 to over 3,000.

Crimes of Violence: Theft

Lord Truscott: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to reconsider banning pillion riders on mopeds, scooters and motorbikes, to prevent their use for violent theft.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Crime Survey for England and Wales data shows a 74% fall in robbery when comparing the year ending September 2023 with year ending March 2010. This is clearly good news. We recognise the impact robbery can have on individuals and communities and we are committed to tackling and preventing this crime. We are not considering a ban on pillion riders on mopeds, scooters and motorbikes.

Migrant Workers: Pay

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what occupations are covered by the new Immigration Salary List.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Immigration Salary list can be found on page 230 to 232 of the statement of changes laid in Parliament on 14 March. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65f18e57ff11701fff6159bb/E03091226_-_HC_590_-_Immigration_Rules_Changes__Web_Accessible_.pdf. The Government consult regularly with a broad range of stakeholders, including those in social care, on a regular basis.STATEMENT OF  CHANGES IN  IMMIGRATION RULES (pdf, 2386.7KB)

Migrant Workers: Health Services and Social Services

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussionsthey have hadwith the health and social care sectors regarding the implications for those sectors of the proposed new net migration measures,since the announcement of those measures on 4 December 2023.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Immigration Salary list can be found on page 230 to 232 of the statement of changes laid in Parliament on 14 March. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65f18e57ff11701fff6159bb/E03091226_-_HC_590_-_Immigration_Rules_Changes__Web_Accessible_.pdf. The Government consult regularly with a broad range of stakeholders, including those in social care, on a regular basis.STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN IMMIGRATION RULES (pdf, 2386.7KB)